Shin Persona Evangelion

by Ultra Sonic 007

Shinji Ikari stared, bewildered by the bizarre-looking man, who gave an intrigued smile. "An interesting guest has arrived. My name is Igor. Welcome to the Velvet Room, young fool...we have important matters to discuss, you and I." (A fusion of the realms of Evangelion and Persona, where not all is as it seems.) (Cover art by Renu of the Sufficient Velocity forums.)

113. Sunday - September 13, 2015: Part 1

Author's Note: Hard to believe it's been over two years since the last actual Angel battle (as the August 14, 2015 chapters were released in November and December of 2021). Where did all the time go...?

xxxx

The Velvet Room felt...strange.

"...yesterday was so much fun..."

Sokila sat up, quietly nibbling a cookie she had apparently nabbed from last night's party.

"...I want to have more days like it..."

With a forlorn expression, she gazed towards an empty auditorium.

"...but you have more monsters to fight first...don't you...?"

The faint haze of blue began to...fade away(?)...

There was...something else. A faint song, from...elsewhere, beyond the edge of the Velvet Room. A song played by a piano, amidst tolling bells, drums, and sounds evoking haunting winds and dripping water.

Following it, he delved beyond the auditorium, through the curtains splitting dream and reality, mind and matter; through the stage lights of creation, he descended towards a great stage.

Standing upon it were two humanoid beings: twins, with colors that both matched and inverted the other. One played a lyre, and one played a lute.

"Skid-a-boo-dop," said the lyrist. Seamlessly, the lutist chorused, "What fortune, that thou danced the night away!"

One spoke robotically, while the other was fluent in an antiquated manner; both sounded so very sweet to the ear.

"Ske-boh-doodle-ee-doo. / Our lot is to face thee, this day. Shall thou join alone?"

He found his voice. "...I would never face you alone. Not if I could help it."

The sweet voices faded...and as they put away their strings and picked up their trumpets, their sound morphed to that heard by humanity itself: a great and terrible din, evoking dread of the Judgment Day which they were to herald.

"Splendid...we shall await you and your cohorts...Champion of Lilith."

With the sound of the trumpet, they blasted him back into the haze of blue, which began to brighten-!

xxxx

/Sunday: September 13, 2015/

/Barracks, NERV HQ, Tokyo-3/

An unusual ringtone sounded from the phones of Shinji Ikari, Kensuke Aida, and Toji Suzuhara. (Little did they know that the same happened with Rei Ayanami, Asuka Langley-Sohryu, Mana Kirishima, and Mayumi Yamagishi in the adjacent rooms.) "Wha," sleepily droned Toji, sitting up with alarm. "Too early..."

Kensuke lazily put on his glasses, peering at his phone with a frown. "...uh...Shinji?"

Shinji, feeling the strangeness of his dream-that-wasn't linger, stared at the message with a frown.

ISRAFEL: THOU HAST BEEN CHALLENGED
ISRAFEL: COME TO THE SHORES OF THE LAKE
ISRAFEL: THE FATE OF HUMANITY IS AT HAND
ISRAFEL: DO NOT TARRY...OR ELSE

At that moment, an irate redhead burst their door open, holding her phone up. "Who the hell is Israfel?" demanded Asuka Langley-Sohryu. "Because if me and First got the same message, I bet you did too."

Shinji mutely nodded. "I...think it's an Angel...?" More to the point, what threat was this 'Israfel' implying...?

xxxx

Within the Metaverse, bolts of nothing — raining down through the red-and-black sky, as was custom on the day of a new moon — struck and splattered amidst the cognitive double of Tokyo-3.

However, instead of scattering, the utter wrongness that their impacts unleashed began to coagulate; traces of human cognition, subservient to the will of another, took form and manifested as Archetypes.

(They, however, were not as the army of Archetypes summoned by Armisael; those had sprung forth from the Womb of Potential itself, endless and legion. Yet, deprived of an inherent connection to humanity's cognition, they had lacked depth. This...was more akin to an oppressive hand manipulating the landscape of human cognition, twisting and morphing it into a form fitting for the nature of the manipulator. And Israfel — Angel of Music, Dance, and Poetry — had a rather specific nature...)

Ame-no-Uzume; Apsaras; Satyr; Dionysus; Terpsichore; Siren; these mythological Archetypes of dance and music manifested, their faces covered by avian masks of plain bone.

At the head, looming above the cognitive double of Tokyo-3, was a blue-skinned human wrapped in serpents, bearing four arms: each hand holding a distinctive instrument or weapon. "And so we shall witness the lilim's kathakali," said Shiva, his avian mask bearing a hole for his third eye. "Whether they merit destruction, or a place in the new creation...is yet to be told. Tandava!"

A great blast erupted amidst the city, heralding the challenge issued by Israfel's thralls.

xxxx

Amidst the distinctive chime of Pattern Blue alerts — as they gathered themselves, changing out of their sleeping clothes — another message arrived to everyone's phones:

NERV: COME TO THE ROOF

"We don't have time for this!" griped Asuka, fiddling with the hem of her blouse with an irritated expression.

"...we would not be summoned without reason," murmured Rei, her face set to a stoic frown. "Especially in light of a Pattern Blue."

"Then let's get going," said Mana, making sure her bodysuit was snug and fit.

"Then follow me," said Rei, moving with determination towards the nearest elevator.

As everyone followed her, Asuka muttered, "Wouldn't it be quicker to just warp to the roof...?"

"Maybe the elevator will be quicker than us trying to sync our thoughts together," wondered Shinji aloud. "And going through the Metaverse would mean we have to go through this place's cognition..."

"Not a good idea," said Kensuke with an almost robotic tone. "After all of the work Dr. Akagi's put me through, I've come to the conclusion that this place has been cognitively engineered up the wazoo for the sake of maintaining stability in Tokyo-3."

"That a thing?" asked Toji.

"Why do you think we've only ever shifted into the Metaverse while in the training rooms?" he remarked, adjusting his glasses. "Or that teleporter prop that takes us to the CPC..."

"...you okay, dude?" asked the wielder of Gilgamesh.

"Just...well, an Angel's sent us an invite," he said, even as they piled into an elevator. "Armisael was pretty tough, even though we won. And now, getting called out? It's...different somehow."

"...I think you were all too focused on trying to save me to think of the stakes," said Mayumi, folding her hands together nervously. As Rei pressed the button for the top floor, she added, "There's only the battle to look forward to...and that's more harrowing, I think."

Rei opened a panel by the floor buttons, pressing a sequence of switches to override the governor of the elevator; the moment the door closed, they shot up with quiet force. "Then...you must trust in each other, as you've done so before...and hope that will be enough to see you through."

Asuka huffed, finding enough space in the crowded car to stretch her limbs. "Well, just try not to get in my way. I know we haven't exactly gotten the 'teamwork' bit down yet; if you've got formations of your own, I'll try and work around them."

"...see, you would be cool if you acted like this all the time," griped Toji. "Being calm and professional, and all that jazz."

The Second Child rolled her eyes. "Maybe you should focus on getting better so that I don't embarrass you the next time we train. At least Mana made me work for it."

"Thanks," said Mana, utterly unruffled by the compliment.

All conversation ceased as they arrived on the roof of NERV Headquarters; the morning sky was calm and beautiful, with fluffy clouds signifying a chance of rain later. Standing upon the roof was none other than Gendo Ikari, staring over a guardrail upon the skyline of Tokyo-3.

"Father?" said Shinji with confusion.

"The MAGI notified me of the anomalous message sent to your phones," he calmly said, answering a question that had not been asked. He calmly turned, bearing an inscrutable expression behind his orange shades. "It is quite probable that the challenge is a trap."

"...that seems logical..." admitted Mayumi.

"I am here to inform you that you will head to Lake Ashi to face the Angel; regardless of the dangers you witness, you will not divert your attention, nor your focus, from your mission." With hands in his pockets, he seemed strangely imposing; despite their altitude, the wind was absent. "Is that understood?"

"...why would that be a problem?" asked Ayanami. "What is happening?"

"Because Archetypes empowered by the Angel are running rampant through the Metaverse; Acolytes have not appeared yet, but these Archetypes provide their own challenges. Why else do you think I'm the one speaking with you, and not Misato Katsuragi?" Gendo pointed out with a callousness that was somehow detached. "You will be tempted to assist. I am ordering you to ignore that temptation."

"...is it that bad?" asked Shinji.

"They are fighting to their utmost. If you wish to help them, it would be best to defeat this 'Israfel'; if prior trends hold, their manipulation of these Archetypes will cease upon their demise." He walked on, moving towards the elevator; almost without thinking, everyone moved aside to let him pass.

Shinji tried to peer through the gap between the man's glasses and his eyes; he saw a flicker of color, a sign that his father was looking at him. Yet, he could not divine the emotions present within.

Another place. Another time. One that echoed with the promise of pain.

A man's back was all he could see, retreating into the distance.

Even though he cried, the man did not look back.

"You have your orders," Gendo said, turning around once he entered the elevator. "Do be quick about it." The doors slid shut, and the elevator car descended. Whatever tension had been present slowly leaked away.

"...Dein Vater ist verdammt gruselig," growled Asuka.

"I don't know what she just said, but I'd probably agree with it," said Toji, in a surprising bit of camaraderie with the redhead.

Rei — staring at the elevator doors with a pensive yet complicated expression — turned towards the distant Lake Ashi. "We should go."

Everyone hummed in agreement, as Mana raised LABRYS to tear open a hole into the Metaverse. "In we go," she said, resting the axe upon her shoulder.

The teenagers — Team Statherós, the stalwart Ayanami, and their relatively new ally Asuka — steeled themselves, preparing for whatever it was that awaited them on the other side. With only a little hesitation, they entered the Metaverse

xx

As the seven entered the cognitive world — their Metaverse outfits manifesting in an instant as applicable — the pandemonium gripping the city was immediately obvious.

"Gott, was ist das für ein Lärm?!" growled Asuka, impulsively holding her hands to her ears.

Kensuke leaned on the edge of roof, gazing down at the streets; the orderly flow of Archetypes he had gotten used to were gone, replaced by a musical cacophony as masked thoughtbeasts danced and raved through the streets. Some had managed to commandeer the Ocular Drones, doing a jig upon the colorful constructs to try and strike at the Cognitive Protection Center in the sky. Alas, dozens and dozens of Persona-users were in pitched combat against the horde, with the majority of the conflict centered around a blasted crater; in its epicenter was a blue humanoid. "That's...that's a Shiva."

Mayumi, sitting upon the black throne of Armisael, tightened her monocle with concern. "Oh..." Looking down at her book, she balked at whatever was on those pages. "...that's a powerful Archetype. To be expected, I suppose..."

"How big a deal is he?" asked Toji, adjusting his headband.

"...we're talking on the tier of Amaterasu in terms of importance," replied Mayumi.

"Ah. Got it. Cool."

"...your dad wasn't kidding when he said not to get distracted," grumbled Mana, looking in the direction of Lake Ashi. Everyone followed the direction of her pointed finger, gazing upon swirling spotlights that emanated from the lake itself, obscured though it was by the skyline. "I guess that's where we've been invited?"

"Then we should go," said Rei, the cross-tipped chains wrapping themselves around her limbs of their own accord. "The local cognitions are very agitated; warping will be all but impossible."

Shinji cleared his throat, drawing everyone's eyes. "Um..."

(Into the twin pools of orange, fell the cards bearing the respective image of Lamia and High Pixie; inside the central glass tank, their essences combined into a great bird, bearing a crown. "I am Jatayu; for the sake of thy glory, I will gladly sacrifice myself...")

"...I have a Persona that can carry us...?" he offered, even as everyone stared.

This was how, within a minute, they were all perched upon the back of a great king of birds, soaring on crimson wings towards Lake Ashi. "So you summoned new Personas...while sleeping?" asked Asuka, incredulous.

"...yes," flatly replied Shinji.

"...fine, be that way," grumbled Asuka, crossing her arms with a huff; the eyepatch only served to heighten the petulance in her expression.

...I mean, what else am I supposed to say? Shinji blinked, suddenly remembering something else. "Oh. Right. Kensuke!"

Kensuke — watching from above as some Satyrs danced in formation down a street — turned back. "Eh?"

"Your present!"

"...oh. Oh!" Kensuke scooted over on Jatayu's back, summoning his Naptime Bolter. "Good timing."

Shinji held his hand over the weapon, lightly touching it; with a flicker of blue fire, the crossbow transformed into a weapon which looked to have been formed from hardened paper, scrawled with Onmyōdō script. "There."

"Whoa," marvelled Kensuke, prodding at the weapon and marvelling at its paradoxical hardness. "What's it called?"

(From the Compendium floated the cards of Shiki-Ouji and Kodama; they fell into the orange pools, and were pumped into a blue kiln. The fire roared, and a weapon was forged.)

"...I think Chu-ko-nu, is the word that came to mind," said Shinji.

Mayumi, her Persona having shrunk to its portable form, leaned forward to gaze at the new weapon. "A repeater crossbow...just like Grit the Black Swordsman from the Frenzy manga..."

"Oh, I've heard of that one...wait." Kensuke stared suspiciously at Mayumi. "Frenzy is a seinen, so how'd you get your hands on it...?"

Mayumi flushed. "I was curious! I mean, I asked my parents once, and they bought it for me without thinking..." She didn't go into the implications of those words, because that would only open old wounds. "I wasn't trying to flout the content controls published by the Ministry of Cognitive and Spiritual Affairs..." She trailed off, blinking with a sudden epiphany. "Though, unless the prefecture is now enforcing those, I guess it's not something to worry about anymore...?"

"Given all of the yen spent on engineering of societal cognition? I bet the prefectural governments are gonna focus on it more than ever." Kensuke lightly shrugged, letting it slide. "But, I illegally entered the Metaverse, so it's not like I have room to complain or point fingers..."

"What's all this stuff about content controls?" asked Mana.

"Legal stuff," said Toji. "The kind they taught in school a few years back, when it got mandated in 2010. Guess you wouldn't have known, because...well, you know."

Mana huffed, letting it slide. "Yeah. Guess not."

(Asuka, naturally was focused on the more important matters. "How can he actually change another person's self-image of their own weapon? He's a freak," she all but hissed at Rei.)

("If you want a new weapon, I'm sure he'll give you one if you ask," the blunette replied.)

(Asuka scoffed, but said nothing more.)

Before long, they all saw the source of the spotlights: a single stone platform, floating above the orange waters of Lake Ashi's cognitive shoreline. Sitting upon it was a humanoid figure with exaggerated shoulders and limbs: sleek and dynamic, yet lacking in particulars, the creature seemed more akin to a person made from nondescript geometry than an actual human. The lack of an identifiable face, save for the blue and red yin-yang symbol on its upper torso, made it all the more unnerving.

Jatayu set down and dispersed into flames, depositing the seven teenagers onto the stony ground. As Mayumi returned to her Persona's seat, the other six brandished their weapons. "...are you Israfel?" asked Shinji Ikari, holding tightly onto his Monk's Spade.

"We are," echoed the voice of the Angel: calm, composed, yet overlapping itself. "You have our gratitude for accepting our invitation."

"At least we don't have to look too hard to kill you!" yelled Mana, shifting her shield and axe into a ready position.

"Do not misunderstand," said the being, still not rising from where it sat cross-legged. "For not all duels are equal."

Without warning, the stone platform they all stood upon shifted, plunging into the lake.

However, although the orange water shifted around them, they did not get wet; the color faded, shifting into turbulent waters of gray that were foreign yet familiar, a telltale sign of one crossing into an Angel's Domain. As the muted colors twisted and turned — trying to take form into a shape that was fit, and proper — Israfel spoke. "Sachiel. Shamshel. Ramiel. Matarael. Armisael. Gaghiel. Six of our brethren, felled in combat." The yin-yang mask twisted. "Deplorable, yet necessary; wretched, yet joyous. We would greet their end with hope, were it not for Phanuel; and so, we can only act according to our nature."

"...and what nature would that be?" asked Rei with suspicion.

"Music, poetry...though we exult in such joys..." The stone platform suddenly stopped, and the spotlights at the edge of the arena converged their lights upon Israfel's form, casting its gray and green body in stark contrast. With emphasis, the Angel completed its haiku. "...our greatest delight is with DANCE."

The spotlights clicked off, plunging them all into darkness; the teenagers barely had time to shout with alarm as more lights emerged as if from nowhere. The gray waters had all vanished, transforming into something that was a cross between a glorious stage and a humble dancing studio. Where Israfel had once been, now two variants stood: twins, with one bearing steely limbs, the other's colored orange. "Sko-doo-wobbity-wop," dryly said the steel twin in a robotic tone; the orange one simultaneously shouted, "It is this sacred art with which we shall duel!"

Everyone boggled at the Angel's words, so much so that they all chorused "What".

Except for Mana, who simply asked, "...how would that work?"

"It's not, that's how!" exclaimed Asuka, her hand ripping the core of burning flame from her heart; with seamless ease, her Metaverse outfit was overwritten by a brilliant red bodysuit, even as her Evangelion flashed into being, simmering with the essence of a precocious Matilda. "Get him, Nigoki!"

Unit-02 turned towards the dual form of Israfel.

"Coo-boo-toodly-dee. / Forsooth; doth thou wish to fight in such a vulgar way?"

The four-eyed Evangelion hummed...only to sit down, crossing its arms.

Asuka boggled. "Wait, what?!" She stomped over in front of the embodied spirit, hands on her hips. "What is this about?!" The Evangelion tilted its head, eliciting a disbelieving — nay, flabbergasted — reaction from the redhead. "Was soll das heißen, es ist sinnlos?!"

"...I see," murmured Rei, summoning her own Evangelion with a frown; as Unit-00 looked around with a disconcerted air — Lilith's aura lingering in a flickering manner about its form — she remarked, "The Angel's Domain has focused the entirety of its power on enforcing a particular rule: none of our combat powers can manifest while the Angel deems it so."

Kensuke and Toji boggled, immediately summoning their respective Personas to test the theory. Sure enough, Sinbad and Gilgamesh couldn't use a single skill. "...welp, we're boned," chorused the two boys.

(Mayumi, observing all of this with the inherent senses granted by her Persona, quietly read through a pamphlet with an almost frenzied energy.)

Mana snorted, holding LABRYS and AEGIS with both hands. "I don't think we are; let's see it stop me!" She dashed forward, AEGIS settling on her back so she could grip LABRYS with both hands.

Rei's eyes widened with sudden alarm. "No, stop-!"

Israfel watched as the child soldier approached. "Boop. / What folly." The steel twin held up a single finger, stopping the axe by the blade; its A.T. Field did not even flash. Before Mana could even register this, the orange twin kicked her away.

Shinji, reacting the moment he saw that her attack had not connected, had Unit-01 in position; with Hamlet empowering it, the Evangelion caught Mana on its torso before she could skip along the ground. "Are you okay?"

Mana stared dumbly at LABRYS and AEGIS, as if finally realizing something. (Or, perhaps, finally listening to them...?) "...it's like all the strength left my limbs the moment I chose to attack..."

(Mayumi's eyes narrowed, even as she looked at the lazy spinning halo of her Persona; its helices gleamed, signalling a sense of mutual understanding. "Is that so...?")

"Fee-diddly-itty-boo. / Art thou satisfied? We demand a dance to sate our nature!"

"...so, has anyone ever learned dancing?" asked Kensuke with a nervous laugh.

"Other than that dancing game last night? Not at all," growled Mana.

"...think sprinting counts as dancing?" honestly asked Toji.

"Don't be stupid, Dummkopf!" snarled Asuka, even as she pushed against her Evangelion in an attempt to move it. "I'm not going to be hamstrung by myself, damn it...!"

Shinji looked over at Rei with a frown, wondering if she had divined a way out of this. None of us know how to dance...so how are we going to face the Angel on its own terms...hmm? In the corner of his eye, he saw Armisael miniaturize, transforming into the helical halo rotating about a black stone above her head. "Yamagishi-san...?" he asked, watching as she walked forward.

The girl awkwardly took off the heels of her Metaverse outfit, awkwardly holding them out towards Kensuke. "Could...you please hold these, Aida-san?"

"Uh...sure?" he dumbly said, grabbing the dress slippers with a blink.

Mayumi walked further along the arena, hands nervously fiddling with her opera gloves as she approached the judgmental forms of the Angel. She lowered the hood of her shawl, letting her hair run more freely; as if in response to her resolve, the lights of the arena-studio-stage all focused upon her.

("...eep," she squeaked under her breath.)

"What is she doing," asked Mana.

"I...think she's going to dance...?" said Kensuke with a stare. "But she's never said anything about knowing dance before..."

Then, without warning, a song played: music of a certain classical kind, echoing throughout the Domain without any sort of blemish.

The moment the strings of the cello were heard, Shinji perked up. "Wait...Canon in D by Pachelbel...?"

It was an arrangement that included three other violins; the moment they accompanied the cello, Mayumi began to dance.

The scene was difficult to describe in words; it was as if every ounce of energy within Mayumi Yamagishi had devoted itself to expression in the form of a slow yet methodical dance: arms flowing like water, in time with the strings of the cello; bare feet tapping along the stone, rotating to match the strings of the violins; the hem of her royal purple evening gown spun and twirled in time with her movements, adding a strange grace that the bookish girl normally did not portray. Yet, in spite of it all, her eyes maintained a spark of concentration, as if she was thinking through every single movement instead of living in the moment.

Seconds crawled by, as the ambient lighting of the Domain seemed to flash and glow in timing with her performance; at some point, a veritable crowd of miniature Israfels had manifested along the edge of the arena, alternating between cheering and jeering; yet, as Mayumi continued, the jeers faded, leaving only a rush of satisfied noise.

After almost five whole minutes, the rendition of Pachelbel's Canon ceased; Mayumi had finished her movement with a slight curtsy, staring almost defiantly at the Angel.

"Skoodly-doo. / Not quite a King Crazy, yet a satisfying number nonetheless!"

"This...is how it works, isn't it? Even if we ourselves lack any and all knowledge or talent in the art of dance...your Domain will translate whatever we are capable of into a routine of equivalent skill: a representation of who we are as individuals...am I wrong?"

"Doo-wop. / Indeed!"

Mayumi nodded. "I thought so," she said with a smile, turning away to head back to the others. It wasn't until she approached them — doubtless seeing their gobsmacked expressions — that her nervousness once more took hold. "Um...I'll take my shoes back, now..." As Kensuke dumbly returned them, she added, "...I wasn't...too bad, was I...?"

"It was beautiful," Kensuke blurted out.

Mayumi gulped.

Toji's immediate follow-up saved Kensuke from embarrassing himself further. "Bad? You must've picked up something crazy from that dancing game last night...because the only other thing I can think of to explain what I just saw is that the Literature Club must double as a Dance Club."

"...we've never danced at the Literature Club," explained Shinji, even as he kept a watchful eye upon the dual form of Israfel.

"It is as she said," said Rei, looking at Mayumi with an appraising eye. "Given your bond with Armisael, perhaps it is no surprise that you deduced the inherent limitations of this realm."

Mayumi, awkwardly putting her dress slippers back on, simply shrugged. "The question is...what now?"

The Angel answered for them, as the steely twin stepped forward. "Ska-hoo-wop-da-wop." The orange twin, standing back afar, chorused, "Behold: the cruelty of our thesis!"

What ensued was a hardstyle electronic dance number, with a slow but rapid buildup; Israfel's feet tapped, then slowly increased in tempo, somehow appearing as one dancing while running in place.

"...something feels weird," murmured Toji.

Right at the thirty-second mark, the electronic beat became more pronounced: Israfel's arms moved in tandem, smacking at its nonexistent knees to make the motions sharper and faster.

Mana's eyes widened as the gemstone in her shield glistened. "TAKE COVER!"

Waves of force accompanied each of Israfel's steps, rushing over them like waves: the Evangelions stood stalwart, holding out their hands to manifest a combined A.T. Field. Even so, residuals bled through, nearly pushing everyone back. This lasted for nearly thirty seconds, until the song reached a piano-focused bridge, accompanied by the sound of snapping fingers that Israfel mimicked with casual ease.

"...okay, this kinda hurts," said Kensuke with a grimace. "So 'dancing' is also a weapon..."

"And they didn't even feel a dent during Mayumi's bit," growled Asuka.

Mayumi shook her head with a frown. "Sorry...I was trying to test the nature of this Domain...I wasn't trying to focus on doing damage..."

The song entered a refrain, and began to build back up again. "Here it comes!" warned Shinji, pressing himself against the back of Unit-01's leg.

The pronounced beat returned, and Israfel's movements sped back up with seamless ease; each bouncy step smashing into the ground elicitied a burst of concussive force that was outpaced only by the cheers of the Angelic doppelgangers in the crowd. The pace remained at that harsh consistency until the song abruptly ended. "Doot," said the steely twin, with a tone of dull finality.

"...that song lasted for one hundred and thirty-five seconds," said Rei with a stoic expression.

Toji, grimacing from the bizarre sensations of phantom pain, growled, "And I can't even access Gilgamesh's healing skills. Great."

"Hoh-boh-doh-woh-doh. / Bring forth thy next challenger!"

"...tch, might as well be me," snarled Toji, throwing down his staff and stepping forward. "I need to work out this irritation!"

"Be careful, Suzuhara-san!" yelled Shinji.

Toji waved over his shoulder. "Least we'll definitely know if Yamagishi's theory is right after me!"

"...he kind of has a point," admitted Kensuke with a nervous grin. "He's good at running, but not so much when it comes to dexterity...not that I'm much better-"

"Hush, I want to see him put his money where his mouth is," interrupted Asuka, rotating her shoulders to work out any unseen kinks. "Warum kann dieser Engel nicht so einfach sein wie der letzte?" she grumbled.

"Gaghiel's nature was more suited to direct combat than Israfel's, it would seem," answered Rei.

"...I keep forgetting you know German, First," grumbled Asuka. (Under her breath, unheard by anyone else, she whispered, "Why does that feel wrong...?")

Toji arrived in front of Israfel and Israfel, their blank, three-holed faces 'looking' at him with expectation. "...don't know exactly what this place is going to come up with me, so I might as well go with the flow!" Without saying anything more, he knelt down into a sprinter's position...

...and as a poppy song came on, Toji took off running.

(Asuka tilted her head. "...this is a remix...have I heard the original...?")

Toji initially sprinted in circles around Israfel, much to the Angel's apparent disappointment. "Doom-ah-woot. / 'Tis not a dance worth the name!"

"How about you shut up?!" yelled Toji; right as the beat dropped twenty seconds in, he incorporated flips and jumps into his movements, more fitting for a parkour runner than a dance. Yet, as part of Toji's apparent race against himself, it looked appropriately dramatic.

"Hiddly-dit-deh-doo. / Much better!"

The simple yet remixed chorus, coming back in near the minute mark, coincided with Toji stopping in front of the dual Angel, his feet shuffling in a manner that evoked walking, skipping, and galloping in quick fashion. "I ain't doin' this for your damn approval!" The beat returned, and he took off running once more.

From afar, Kensuke nodded seriously. "Yup. This Domain is definitely something else; I think Toji would probably break something if he tried doing those kinds of flips."

"Then how is he doing it now if he can't do it normally?" wondered Mana.

"I probably wouldn't question it," answered Mayumi. "It just is."

Kensuke huffed, feeling a devilish grin keep up. "Then he needs to go full out then." Cupping his hands around his mouth, "DON'T HOLD BACK, TOJI!"

Moments later, a tired voiced echoed back. "KEN!"

"YES?"

"SHUT UP!" Right as Toji said this, the pop song transitioned to an abrupt interlude, building up to something intense.

"Koo-doo. / Is this thine limit?"

Toji, tapping his foot to build up momentum(?), retorted, "I'd much rather be hitting you, but if you're gonna be like that..." Synchronized with the song at two-and-a-half minutes in — which, in a bit of divine timing, echoed "On your mark, get set, GO!" — Toji proceeded to breakdance.

Israfel and Israfel were taken aback, audibly leaning away as Toji's flares transitioned into a continuous windmill with backspin, ending in a spinning headstand. So glorious were those moves that Israfel's A.T. Field visibly flickered.

Kensuke impulsively whooped and hollered; Mayumi cheered as well; Mana and Shinji joined in if only because they were both impressed by how Toji broke-it-down; Rei simply watched with an arched eyebrow, whilst Asuka kept wondering at why the song felt so familiar.

"Did that shut you up?!" yelled Toji, leaping to his feet so he could shuffle in time with the beat. "WELL?!" he roared, breathing heavily as the song came to its eventual conclusion.

"Doot-doo. / A marvelous performance!"

Toji snorted, walking away with a noticeable fatigue in his gait. "Still wish we could just throw down," he grumbled to himself.

As Toji returned to the group, he was quickly glomped by Kensuke. "Man, you were incredible!"

"Ge'off," growled Toji, pushing Kensuke away. "My legs feel like they're about to fall off...and besides, it's not like I can actually breakdance. It's all because of this Angel's...Domain, or whatever."

"It was still impressive," remarked Mana.

Shinji gave Toji his congratulations also, even as his attention flickered between his fellow Evangelion-users and the Angel. The crowd of miniature Israfels seemed to be pleased by the performance...which brought to mind a question. Why is this Angel like this...?

His Other quietly listened through a pair of headphones.

"A strange stratagem...or something else...?"

The Beast, shackled to the floor, could only sigh.

"What a farce...I cannot wait for the moment it ends..."

"Toodly-doot-do-doo. / Now it is our turn, once more!"

His internal musings were interrupted by the orange twin advancing; another variant of the same song from before began to play, in the fashion of chiptune, or perhaps an old game console. With resignation, he willed Unit-01 to step forward, joining Unit-00 and Unit-02 to once more provide a protective barrier for himself and his fellows. "Hold on!"

Israfel's motions for this particular song were surprisingly curt and discrete, moving with limited animation and limbs in isolation, in a manner that would have been more fitting for the robotic-sounding twin. However, despite the song being much shorter than the prior one chosen by the Angel, the force it created was no less real. By the time it ended, bruises were beginning to show on the humans' skin.

"Hoo-boo-woo. / Next, if thou dare!" Israfel and Israfel chorused, striking a pose.

"This is getting really annoying," snarled Asuka.

"...Yamagishi-san," said Rei, looking back at the group's Navigator. "Is Armisael capable of doing any analysis?"

Mayumi, who had since gotten back on her Persona's black throne, remarked, "There's a lot of interference, but I can still analyze data."

"...pay close attention to those who go next. I am...curious as to what Israfel is up to." The First Child turned towards Mana, who was already walking onto the arena. "Pay close attention to any signal shifts from the boundary of the Angel's Domain."

"Signal shifts?" echoed Mayumi with a blink.

"I have a suspicion as to what the Angel is up to," she said, even as Mana stood stalwartly in front of the dual Angel.

"Weh-beck-oo-doh. / Thine weapons are not allowed, little maiden!"

Mana snorted, setting her axe and shield on the ground beside her. "Like I was going to do this without my sisters." As she spoke, female silhouettes emerged from AEGIS and LABRYS, mere outlines of colored energy, yet still bearing substance. "I have no clue what song this place is going to pick...but it'll fit us."

What ensued was the theme song of a classic in sentai television: the theme song of Phoenix Ranger Featherman, one of the shows that had preceded Bishoujo Senshi Featherman Z in the long-running series...and Mana, despite her aggressive nature in battle, performed acrobatic dance moves fitting for a gymnastic stunt double in a sentai show. With the souls of her Big Sis and Little Sis serving as proverbial backup dancers, the child soldier showcased just how much of a fan she was of Featherman.

"You can do it, Mana-chan!" cheered Mayumi, even as she kept analyzing their surroundings.

When Mana struck her final pose — with arms held high at dramatic angles — a series of pyrotechnic explosions accompanied her finisher.

Israfel and Israfel, true to form, were thrown back by the blasts, in true tokusatsu fashion. "Boom-doom. / Exquisitely flashy!"

Mana huffed, picking up her weapons and walking away from the dual Angels. (She couldn't quite resist the urge to pump her fist, feeling a strange bit of satisfaction from doing so.)

As Kensuke, Shinji, and Toji spoke with Mana, Rei looked intently at Mayumi. "Yamagishi-san. What did you sense?"

"Oh...right." Unrolling a pamphlet, she remarked, "From what I've been able to sense...while the song was happening, the rate of information flow near the boundary increased...and that rate became faster the further away from the arena I tried to perceive."

Rei frowned. "And now?"

"...the rate of information flow has equalized again."

"...I see. Please keep your perceptions attuned towards the boundary."

Asuka, looking over towards them, arched an eyebrow. "What's up, First?"

"I am trying to confirm something." Rei could say nothing more, as the Angel was already preparing their next dance. "Endure."

Israfel and Israfel bumped their hips together, chorusing, "Zan-kiddly-coo. / 'Tis time for double magnificence!"

"I'm getting real sick of them remixing the same verdammt song!" roared Asuka, as the Angel's chosen tune followed the same overall pattern, save for the fact it had an incredibly fast tempo, with accompanying beats fit for a hardbass song: hard bounces, claps, and other percussive instrumentation alongside the base song. True to form, their feet pounded and skipped along the arena floor in line with the beats, as their arms waved and shifted in a manner evoking — paradoxically enough — 'orderly flailing'. In tandem, their chaotic moves were nonetheless complimentary, and rendered especially painful in light of that. "This is such a PAIN!" By the time the song ended — nearly three-and-a-half minutes later — the arms of all three Evangelion-users seemed like they had been burned raw. "Scheisse," she cursed under her breath.

Kensuke, feeling for the underside of his nose, grimaced at the sensation of warm blood. "Even with three Evangelions, the Angel's power is really intense...and it feels like we're not even scratching it..."

Rei glanced over at Mayumi; with but a nod, the Navigator communicated that the same phenomenon had been sensed. "And it seems that the Angel is placing so much of its focus on subjecting us to the Domain's rule that it's interfering with our connection to reality..."

"Whaddya mean?" asked Toji.

"Whenever a dance begins, the Domain's power is at its greatest; so much so, that the local grip of spacetime upon our position becomes loosened...and Israfel knows this." Narrowing her eyes, Rei concluded, "Even if this is an unconventional method of battle...and despite its apparent conviviality...this Angel is intentionally keeping us sequestered from the ongoing battle in Tokyo-3."

Shinji's eyes widened as he understood (what benefit there was, being a knowledgeable savant) what Rei was getting at. Turning towards Israfel, he ignored the pain in his arms and yelled, "What time is it outside of your Domain?!"

The dual Angel, looming with a cheerful menace, answered. "Sabba-doo. / Half the day has lapsed, Champions of Lilith!"

xxxx

As noon passed in Tokyo-3, the overall mood in the Metaverse was...poor. For all the Archetypes that had been put down, the dancing thoughtbeasts just kept on coming.

Ryuji Sakamoto, providing cover for three A.T. Agents — Kou Ichijo, Ayane Matsunaga, and Yumi Ozawa — to drag away the injured captain Daisuke Nagase, grimaced as Seiten Taisei's electrical skills danced harmlessly across the skin of Shiva. The empowered Archetype gazed imperiously down at them all, as though they were naught but bugs worth squashing; as a burst of Almighty energy levelled another cognitive building — mercifully empty, but still scarring the mental landscape immensely — that sensation only grew. Damn it...it's been hours since the kids vanished into Lake Ashi. "What the hell is taking them...?" he yelled with frustration, even as he used his gun-cane to blast away an incoming Satyr.

(And all the while, standing atop NERV's Headquarters in reality...Gendo Ikari observed in silence.)

xxxx

Rei exhaled audibly through her nose, looking rather vexed...which, on her face, translated to a minor frown and slightly squinted eyes. "Hmm. We cannot afford to fool around." Without warning, she grabbed Kensuke by the wrist. "Come with me."

"Say wha-ACK!" yelped Kensuke, as Rei forcefully pulled him towards the arena. "What, you want to do a duet?!"

"I will lead you along; but we must attempt to force the Angel's hand. Solo routines have proven to be...insufficient."

"...you sure? I mean, I've never danced with a girl before-"

"Few boys your age have, and I doubt they did so with the fate of humanity in the balance." She placed a hand on his shoulder, gripping it firmly yet not too tightly; despite the rawness of her skin, she did not flinch from the pain. "Think of it as just another mission, Aida-san. Do you have what it takes?"

Putting it into those terms seemed to settle the boy's nerves, as his breathing calmed, Kensuke wiped away the traces of drying blood from his upper lip. "Understood, ma'am!"

(As if synchronizing with their intentions from the proverbial sideline, Lilith gave them both a solemn nod, whilst Sinbad gave them a thumbs-up.)

xx

From afar, Toji tilted his head with bewilderment. "...I don't know if I should tease the hell out of him, or give him huge kudos."

"What for?" asked Mana.

"Not sure yet," said Toji, not wanting to go into the topic; the shuffling of paper from behind caught his attention. "What's up, Yamagishi?"

Mayumi, poring through a small book that she had grabbed from the collection floating about her Persona, said, "If what Ayanami-san is trying to do works..." Raising her eyes — briefly glancing towards Rei and Kensuke in the process — she said, "You might have a brief window of opportunity."

"To do what?" he asked. When Mayumi explained, he understood. "Ah...but the only one I got is single-target," he said, looking up at Gilgamesh's yellow eyes.

Mana looked down at AEGIS, as if listening to the shield. "...maybe you do. But Little Sis might be able to change that..."

xx

Asuka's tapping foot was almost a beat of its own, Shinji mused. "What do you think Ayanami-san is up to?"

"...not sure. She doesn't seem like she has a thing for Glasses Boy...but she's always seemed way too mature for that sort of stuff, anyhow," responded Asuka.

"...I really don't think Ayanami-san is interested in Kensuke that way," dryly said Shinji. "Not that there's anything wrong with Kensuke...she just-"

"Doesn't seem like one for romance?" she interrupted, looking at him knowingly. "Yeah; even though she's my age, she's always acted rather...maternal?"

(Given her Persona, and her apparent connection the Mother of Humanity in the world beyond the Sea of Souls...there might have been more to that insight.) "Do you think that doesn't mean they'll dance well?"

Asuka snorted. "I'm sure they'll do fine...but if it actually does more damage to the Angel, then there's something I want to try." Looking over at Shinji with a somewhat inscrutable expression, she said, "Even if you're a bit of a wuss, you seem like someone who'll do what it takes to win when all the chips are down...am I wrong?"

Wondering where she was going with this — Why call me a wuss...? — Shinji nodded. "I may not be as competitive as you," he honestly admitted, even as he straightened his spine with ironclad determination. "But when the lives of my friends are on the line...I'll do what I have to."

This seemed to amuse Asuka. "Well, at least you act the part of an Evangelion-user..." Glancing over at Unit-02, she added, "If First actually manages to put a dent in those freaky twins...then we might have a chance."

xx

"Bah-wah-riddly-doh. / A duet! An eccentric choice from one such as thee," chorused Israfel, sounding both disinterested and amused.

Rei slowed to a stop besides Kensuke; with her white bodysuit lacking any blemish, she cut quite the contrast with Kensuke's dark blue combat uniform. "If your rule demands that we dance...then that is what we shall do."

The opening notes struck her by surprise, even as she seamlessly laced her fingers with Kensuke's. Instead of strings, there was a soft electronic piano, accompanied with subtle electronic alterations that grew in volume. Of course, she thought, even as she quietly led Kensuke in the slow rise and fall of a waltz. There is more than one person driving the selection of the song. However, when familiar words sounded out at twenty-five seconds in, she relaxed. Ah...a remix of Fly Me to the Moon. I can work with this.

"Um-buh-woo. / Your comrades displayed far more vigor!"

Even as Kensuke served as the supporting partner for Rei's graceful moves — holding her up when she leapt, and acting as an anchor as he spun her about in tight yet elegant moves — there was still an innate sense that the song's tempo was about to change. With Kensuke's hands in her own, she spun into his torso, crossing her arms in preparation for an outward burst of motion. "Prepare yourself, Aida-san."

Kensuke, fighting past his blush, nodded. "Right!" With a forced grin, her extended his arms, spinning her away with exaggerated vigor...

(Sure enough, right as the chorus for Fly Me to the Moon started...the beat truly picked up.)

...and began dancing in a manner fit for a dance club from a bygone era. Despite the hip-hop stylings and exaggerated motions, there was a definite passion to the way he moved (so much so, that Israfel's dual body staggered backwards). "There's more where that came from!" exclaimed Kensuke, moonwalking towards Rei's position with an extended hand. The First Child took the offer to tag in...

(The moment the chorus came to an end, the electronic percussion hit harder.)

...and proceeded to dance as a ballerina, with a speed and grace to her spins, leaps, and pirouettes that was utterly mesmerizing (Israfel staggered once more, yet still remained standing). As the percussion transitioned to a more steady beat, Rei timed her last leap so that she landed in Kensuke's arms, who used her momentum to bring her back to a waltz position.

"I wish dancing was this easy in real life," griped Kensuke, even as he followed Ayanami along in a more fast-paced waltz than before.

"That you are this capable merely means you have the potential," remarked Rei. "But you would have to devote many hours to practice."

Kensuke chuckled, twirling Ayanami with her arm from above. "I'm afraid I like my current job too much to take up dancing."

"Then that is your choice." The percussion ceased: the chorus was about to begin again. "Take the lead," she commanded, pushing them apart.

"On it!" he said with a grin.

They shifted to dancing side by side, with Rei flawlessly mimicking Kensuke's movements: every hip sway, every swing of the legs, every rhythm of the arms. (Such was their synchronized grooviness, that Israfel's A.T. Field audibly flashed from invisible impacts.) Even as the synthetic instrumentation became simpler, the duo maintained their synchronicity, even as they alternated steps and moved in asymmetric lines. It was only when the drum beats faded — leaving only an electronic piano with fading percussive chords — that they rejoined in a waltz, maintaining their tempo in line with the song. At last, when the song slowly faded, they split apart once more...only to turn as one towards Israfel, bowing with as much theatricality they could muster.

Israfel and Israfel audibly gasped from the exquisite power of their display.

xx

At that precise moment, Mayumi's eyes widened. "Now!" she loudly hissed.

"Diarama," growled Gilgamesh, aiming at the glowing gemstone of AEGIS.

As the red jewel blazed, Mana — innately sensing the oppressive rule of Israfel's Domain slipping away, if only for an instant — raised her shield, unleashing the gathered energy. Bolstered by the spiritual energy already stored within, a green wave erupted that healed every member of the team.

"It worked!" cheered Mayumi.

xx

Asuka, looking down at her healed arms, suddenly grinned. "It worked," she remarked with a grin. "And that was just with First and the Stooge..."

Shinji tamped down the urge to reprimand her choice of nickname. "...are you ready?"

Another place. Another time. A place of both frustration and promise.

Clad in matching uniforms, he stared at the one who was his partner for the upcoming mission.

Despite their mutual antagonism, something drove them to synchronize their movements, slowly yet surely...

"Of course I am. Wofür hältst du mich, billige Leberwurst?" she said with a confident smile.

"I still don't understand German..."

And all the while, Unit-01 and Unit-02 moved into position.

xx

The sensation of a curative skill elicited a sharp look from Israfel, their blank faces suddenly emanating danger. "Doom-doh-woom. / Thou hast broken our rule, lilim," the Angel chorused, looming over Rei and Kensuke.

"And what if we don't care about your rules?!" The Second Child's shout caught Israfel's attention, the dual Angel staring blankly at the forms of Shogoki and Nigoki.

(Rei, suddenly recognizing what was about to happen, grabbed Kensuke by the arm and yanked him away.)

Shinji — who looked as though he wished to be in his Metaverse outfit instead of the distinctive blue and black bodysuit that came with his Evangelion — nonetheless stood resolutely besides Asuka. "Your Domain's rule only involves dancing...but that doesn't mean we have to let you have a turn."

"Duh-boo. / Unsporting!"

Asuka snorted. "Like you actually care about that; besides...if we have to do this dumb crap, then we're going to dance like we want to win!"

As she issued the challenge to the Angel, the two Evangelions knelt down, ready to move.

As one, Shinji and Asuka shouted, "GO!"

As Unit-01 and Unit-02 sprinted forward, the sound of strings emerged, ascending to a peak.

Israfel backed up, as if sensing something dreadful incoming.

(Rei, realizing what was about to happen, quietly requested Mayumi's assistance in synchronizing an attack.)

The strings reached their crescendo; both Evangelions abruptly stopped, leaping into the air as a piano began to play. Hanging in the air, both Evangelions swung downward, empowered by their respective Personas. "Giant Slice! / Mind Cutter!" they roared in unison, swinging blades forged from A.T. Fields.

Israfel batted away the strikes, even as they force of the blow cut the ground between the duo in twain.

Landing upon the ground, both Evangelions split apart, twirling as they ran; accompanying each dance-like motion was a flick of the wrist, as they launched respective elemental skills at the Angel: Psi and Psio for Unit-01, Agilao, Zionga, and Friela from Unit-02.

The attacks crashed against the twins, who suddenly gestured dramatically; with each move, explosive force erupted from the ground, targeting the Evangelions.

Both of them, preternaturally sensing the incoming attacks (but how; none of you have done this before...), began backflipping, each motion timed to a playful chord of piano keys, and a jaunty horn accompanying each explosion. Seven times this happened; on the eighth, both Evas found themselves taking refuge behind a wall of orange light, upon which the Angel's attack erupted harmlessly.

(On the sideline, Rei Ayanami — hand extended, mimicking the motion of her Evangelion — winced at the power that her A.T. Field had endured.)

Both Shogoki and Nigoki leaned to the side, unleashing more skills. The dual Angel wasted no time, leaping forward in a cartwheel with their limbs moving as blades; both Unit-01 and Unit-02 were forced to dodge.

(Right as the duo evaded Israfel, Mayumi mentally shouted 'NOW, WHILE THEY'RE FOCUSED ON THEM!' As one, Kensuke, Toji, and Rei unleashed their respective long-range skills: arrows embued with Toxic Sting and Madness Needle from Sinbad; Eiga from Gilgamesh; and Megidola and Mabufudyne from Lilith. Mana, meanwhile, swung LABRYS with abandon, unleash waves of furious energy that cut fiercely.)

Precious seconds elapsed as Israfel vanished under bursts of energy and destructive power; it was enough to give Shinji and Asuka time. "Ready, Third?!" asked Asuka.

"Yes!" he agreed, pumping his fists in unison. (Why does this feel familiar to you...?)

Piano, horn, and strings played with glorious synchronicity as Shogoki and Nigoki launched the dual Angel into the air with a majestic uppercut; with the seamless synchronicity of a partner dance, the continued into a rotating axe kick that smashed the twins together, forcing them to combine into the original entity: one with the red and blue yin-yang mask, now with two orbs of red gleaming on its torso.

"IT'S OVER!" yelled Shinji and Asuka, as Unit-01 and Unit-02 leapt into the sky; only sheer metaphysical will could explain how the Evangelions translated upside-down axels into a searing dual divekick, ready to unleash their wrath upon the Angel.

At the moment of triumph, as the music achieved its climax...Israfel bent backward, letting the feet pass overhead.

Shinji and Asuka boggled, as though their script had been subverted.

Israfel's hands grabbed the Evangelions by the back of their necks as they flew over; with feet implanted like roots, the Angel sprung forward, piledriving both Evangelions' heads into the arena floor to the tune of triumph gone horribly wrong.

Even Shinji could not resist cursing in sympathetic pain from the blow, though he was much more polite than Asuka. "Verdammt! Das hätte funktionieren sollen!" she screamed, angrily glaring at the Angel. "WHY DIDN'T IT WORK?!"

"...why..." murmured Shinji, wondering at where his confidence in their plan had come from.

"A tired routine," said the Angel, its voice carrying its own echo. "That is why it didn't work." Gazing up at them, Israfel pointed at Mayumi. "But you are aware of just how much we and our kin have witnessed, even just from Armisael...isn't that right?"

Everyone went still, pondering those words; Shinji was no exception.

(August the 14th: The shimmering strands of DNA going through the skies of Armisael's Domain seemed to hiss. "I pity your ignorance...what would you benefit, from all the knowledge in the world? What would you gain, other than absolute despair? What would you lose, other than all hope?" The glowing tendrils all wiggled back into the ground, wherein they slowly withdrew back to their point of origin in the sky. "Those greater than any one of us have tried...and failed...what benefit has greater knowledge brought, other than new ways to fail? That is the story of humanity...that is the story of the Angels, on endless repeat...failure after failure, until the end of all things...is it so surprising, that our hatred would grow, that the rage would boil?" The Angel's anger only grew. "How many forms did I take, in the Age of Old? How much experience was gained, facing the Memory of Shinji Ikari?" loudly mused Armisael. "How much did we come to learn of the lilim through our bond with Mayumi Yamagishi? Enough to turn the tide...that was our hope...and yet how long has it taken for such hope to bloom? It is a flower that will never see the light of day..." More and more, did anger become tinged by a deep and ancient sorrow. "For those born of the Fruit of Life to choose? To have free will? To go against our nature? It once seemed...unthinkable..." The clouds around them began to curdle, becoming dark and heavy. "...but how long have we been submerged within the depths of this unyielding Sea of Souls? How long? HOW LONG?")

Asuka, alas, was not in the loop. "What the hell is it talking about?" she asked aloud.

"Countless times, we have witnessed the same dance: short, sweet, and full of the lilim's characteristic vigor...but in the times where we must relive the Truth, our dance was naught but lines from a script; notes from a song; steps of choreography, which we were all condemned to follow. Yet what does it say, that a part of you would find the gall to try it here, in a place where our wills are untethered; unbound; free?" Israfel looked intently towards Shinji Ikari. "No wonder Zeruel and the rest of our brethren despise you so much."

(On the sidelines, Kensuke suddenly found himself looking at the crowd. "Those mini Angels have gone awfully quiet," he murmured nervously.)

"...you won't stop, will you?" asked Shinji, already knowing the Angel's answer.

Israfel silently withdrew Unit-01 and Unit-02 from the ground, tossing their limp forms toward the feet of the Second and Third Children. "It was a desire born of truth: rare is the opportunity to act without fear of the searing gaze of our Father's wretched warden. That we were fated to face thee was inevitable, yet it could have been an occasion of joyous exultation." Rising to its feet, Israfel stretched its limbs with inhuman motion, limbering up in ways that would break a man's bones. "But since you find the thought of partaking of our gladness so terrible, we're not going to bother."

Mayumi's voice echoed through everyone's heads. 'Everyone, get ready!'

"And so, if you will not abandon thyselves to our merry melody..." Israfel's hands shot forward, pointing at them with furious anger. "...then we condemn thee to our Dance of DEATH!"

With the roar of a legion, every single Israfel in the stands stormed the stage.

"FORM UP!" yelled Shinji, already changing his Persona; the aura of Hamlet faded from Unit-01, as something new took its place. "Protect us..."

(Into the twin pools of orange, fell the cards bearing the respective image of Isis and Shachihoko; inside the central glass tank, their essences combined into a dignified human, clad in the billowy robes of an onmyōji, and bearing a tall eboshi hat. "An excellent choice, to summon me...my shikigami will do all that is necessary to earn thy praise...")

"...ABE NO SEIMEI!" Unit-01 became empowered by one of Shinji's most recent Persona; with full intention, his Evangelion formed four ofuda that burned with the trace energies of his own A.T. Field. With a sweep of the arm, the four paper talismans latched onto the forms of Kensuke, Toji, Mayumi, and Mana. It was a far more elegant method of ensuring those without Evangelion remained capable of operating in Israfel's Domain. "Focus on fighting the Angel; I'll make sure to protect you!"

'We appreciate it, Ikari-san!' mentally exclaimed Mayumi, floating above them all as the horde of dancing soldiers descended upon them. 'I'll make sure nothing sneaks up on us!'

Then there was no more time for talking, as they fought in earnest.

xxxx

/Meanwhile, in the Metaverse.../

Misato Katsuragi found herself in the unenviable position of...commanding. Strategizing. Stuff that didn't involve fighting on the front lines, as she had been so accustomed to.

(It had been Goro Akechi's idea, seeing as how she was going to officially take his place as Warden as of tomorrow; what better way to test her mettle, than in a proverbial trial by fire? Alas, her soon-to-be subordinates had by and large approved it. "Don't worry," remarked the younger Agent with a tired smile. "I'll be there to assist you.")

Quite frankly, it should have sucked.

And yet...seeing everything from afar, through hundreds upon hundreds of television monitors; hearing as various personnel — either Agents who were still recovering from prior operations, or strictly non-combat staff who were nonetheless proficient in the technical aspects of cognitive engineering or Metaverse security — fed her information; relying upon the intentional design of the room that helped parse information to make it easier for human minds to sift through; there was a strange joy to it.

Her Other quietly gazed upon a rack of swords.

"You are used to being the one to wield the sword..."

With quiet solemnity, she stepped away, letting nameless soldiers reach for them.

"...yet you have too much responsibility to delve headlong into the fray...not as you used to..."

She had quickly gotten into a groove: coordinating Agents based on combat aptitude; placing Persona-users in places where they could bottleneck Archetypes away from city shelters; reorganizing the Ocular Drones on the fly to ensure Agents on the ground had the most accurate tactical information available; rerouting squads and freelancers to support gaps in coverage, or to ensure the dancing thoughtbeasts couldn't spread further beyond the proverbial mosh pit they had turned part of the city into; it was dizzying and chaotic, trying to impose order on the whole mess.

Misato found that she might have had a knack for it. (Which is odd, because you certainly haven't trained in scenarios related to the strategic or tactical deployment of personnel in large numbers...) So much so, that she hadn't even realized Akechi had left. "...where did the Warden go?"

Someone looked away from a monitor, looking at her with a curious expression. "...Akechi-san asked if he could have leave to enter the field; you told him 'yes' in the middle of two separate orders."

...I did?! "Ah. Right," she said, brushing over her apparent lapse in judgment. "And how long ago was that?"

"Over an hour ago."

...ah. Thumbing her A.T. Agent badge, she mentally communicated her intentions towards Akechi. "Akechi-kun, state your position..." She blinked curiously. "...what do you mean, you can't say anything"?

xxxx

"Precisely what I mean, Katsuragi-san," Akechi quietly whispered, gazing from a skyscraper's window at the dancing form of Shiva. "Maintaining silence."

There was a sense of freedom to his current circumstances, Akechi couldn't help but muse; with Misato Katsuragi having all but taken over for him, he could briefly relish a chance to flex his proverbial muscles. (A small reprieve, before life under Shido's heel once more became manifest.) A curious thing, thought Akechi, as he gazed upon the dancing colossus that was Shiva. An assault using nothing but Archetypes...?

The quiet stranger tilted his head.

"You think it is an intentional ploy?"

"I can't speculate about such things. Will you?"

"It is hard to say...our opponents have various motivations."

"How helpful."

"And inhibit your will? Far be it from me to do such a thing: choose as you will..."

Akechi huffed, watching as Shiva's body discharged a living storm of lightning — Maziobarion, judging by his mellifluous voice — scarring whole sections of the cognitive landscape. "Not quite a dead zone...but it will alter the ambient thought patterns of people living in this city..." To what degree, however, was beyond his knowledge...and quite frankly, beyond his ability to care or influence. "...if someone were to knock it down...I might have a shot..."

xx

From atop Tokyo-3's Cognitive Protection Center, Mister P quietly sat with crossed legs, arms folded in patience. "Hmm...strange, that the Angel has avoided striking at the CPC," he mused, even while Gryphon stood at attention. "A curious gesture of kindness from Israfel? An indulgence of their nature over base destruction? Or something else...?" Sighing, the tuxedo-clad bird-man stood, running a hand through his rigid mohawk. "Regardless...Acolyte or no, those Archetypes will continue to wreak havoc if not put in check...especially from that Shiva, down there." He pondered, sensing — feeling — for the intentions and wills of every human present.

He happened upon one familiar person, and suddenly smiled. "Ah...not a bad idea, Akechi my lad." Hopping to his feet, Mister P bumped the back of his hand against Gryphon's flank. "He's a resourceful one; he'll attack the moment he sees an opening."

Gryphon loosed a knowing trill.

xx

Goro Akechi felt the incoming rain of energy before hearing its corresponding attack name. As the cry of Heavenly Flex echoed over the battlefield, a dual eruption of Almighty and Bless energy crashed upon Shiva's face; it was somewhat nullified by the fact Shiva blocked Bless skills, but it accomplished its purpose. For the briefest instant, Shiva turned his masked face towards the sky.

The quiet stranger chuckled.

"Ah; a helping hand. Will you oblige?"

"Shut up," grumbled Akechi under his breath, feeling for the aspect of himself that he hadn't had cause to use in reality. (How fortuitous, that the realm of dreams had provided a means of practicing...!) "Come..." With a flicker of blue flame, his self-image as Warden faded away, replaced by the dark uniform of the Black Mask. "...Hereward." As his ultimate Persona manifested behind him — the outlaw in black; a bowman in exile; the unyielding Wake, watchful over all — Akechi took one last glance at his surrounding area. No Ocular Drones looking in my direction. No other Persona-users near me. It was now or never. You'd better attack where I'm aiming at, you damn penguin! "Persona," he sneered, voice coming out as a hoarse growl.

"Debilitate," growled Hereward, drawing his massive bow and firing a single arrow. The projectile arched downward, threading the path of Ocular Drones flying on their routes; with a tiny impact on the knee, the arrow nonetheless imparted a debuff to the area.

Shiva blinked at the sensation, turning ponderously towards him-!

xx

"Incoming!" howled Mister P, his boisterous voice heightened in pitch by the Doppler Effect; Gryphon dive-bombed past Shiva's face, twisting such that he launched the bird-man towards the ground. Mister P crashed upon a Dionysus — crushing the colorful Archetype beneath his polished shoes — carving a trench in the ground with sheer momentum. His break aimed at the back of Shiva's debuffed knee, while his gloved fist shivered with Force energy. "Zandyne!"

With a mighty leap, Mister P crushed his fist into the back of Shiva's colossal knee, delivering a forceful blow that caused flesh to rip and tear; without hesitation, Gryphon plucked Mister P from the air and took back off into the sky.

xx

As Shiva's knee buckled, Akechi's eyes narrowed at the opportunity. "Hereward..." The moment the godly thoughtbeast fell to the ground — the sheer impact causing the surrounding landscape to quake — he hissed, "Break him," barely containing his glee.

With a contemptuous snort, Hereward clenched his fist. "Rebellion Blade."

Shiva's eyes barely had enough time to look upon the manifested sword — a black two-handed blade, searing red with heat and Almighty power — before the relatively tiny weapon smashed across the bridge of his nose.

Nonetheless, it was a colossal blow: delivering enough force to blow the building-sized deity — already knocked down — onto his back with a ponderous crash. Dust flew, and trace elements of the cognitive cityscape dispersed into particular fragments of base mental energy.

It's no Yaldabaoth or Adam Kadmon...but that sure is satisfying, darkly thought Akechi, quickly vacating his perch to descend through the building; in mere moments, his familiar Warden outfit was back, and Hereward had given way to Robin Hood...

xxxx

It didn't take the bewildered shouts of the techs on monitor duty for Misato to realize how much power that unknown skill had demonstrated. The odd timing of Mister P's appearance, not to mention Akechi's intent on maintaining 'radio silence'...it niggled at her. There'll be time for that later. "All Persona-users in the vicinity of Shiva," she said aloud, delivering her orders with authority, "Establish a perimeter around where it fell; dispel any Archetypes around the dust cloud! Heavy hitters, be ready to attack the moment you've got a view!"

xxxx

/Meanwhile, in the Real World.../

Gendo Ikari, hands in his pockets, stood atop NERV Headquarters. Though he could have remained in his office to observe the activity engulfing the world, his duties were quite minimal at this point; after taking care of those, he had returned to stand atop the precipice. And what a fitting place to be: in the eyes of some, NERV was his throne, from which he observed all in his domain. That so many people never questioned that presupposition...naught but an artifact, of a time long past.

So as the cognitive and spiritual mass of Tokyo-3 roiled with the passage of hours, he nonetheless felt the pressure ease, particularly as the focus of the Angel moved more inwardly; doubtless, it was being pressed by the Evangelions and their cohorts.

A good enough opportunity, then. "I think you've had more than enough time to play," he murmured to himself, pulling out his right hand. "Let this tantrum cease." Slowly, his fingers began to curl...

xxxx

In the Metaverse, as the dust settled, the crater in which Shiva had stood became visible...everyone Persona-user present blinked at the complete lack of a blue giant.

"The hell..." murmured Ryuji, feeling a sense of relief. "Well, that's one worry down!" Without hesitation, he returned his attention to smaller Archetypes which were still dancing into a frenzy.

(From the building afar, Akechi's eyes narrowed. My attack shouldn't have been strong enough to kill it, he admitted in a bit of brutal self-honesty.)

(From the sky above, Mister P chuckled darkly. "Ah...flexing your own muscles, too? This is 'your' city, after all...")

xxxx

...and bit by bit, Gendo's fingers clenched into a fist.

(There was a trace sensation of the Angel's power that had empowered Shiva so, feebly trying to resist.)

(Yet as Shiva was pulled down, the avian mask was ripped away; with the connection to Israfel severed, it was but a mere Archetype...and in the eyes of the world, of humanity itself...what was a mere god of destruction, compared to 'Gendo Ikari'?)

With slight huff, he exhaled, feeling slightly full. "The rest should be simple enough to mop up...now it is only a matter for the children to finish their mission." Without another word, Gendo backed away to return inside, as thoughts of how the rest of the world fared filtered through his mind...

xxxx

From her perch upon Armisael, Mayumi Yamagishi witnessed the tumult that Israfel's Domain had become. 'Suzuhara-san, dispersal needed at six o'clock!'

Toji Suzuhara, perched upon Gilgamesh's shoulders, was maintaining a rough perimeter around Shinji Ikari's position; with Gilgamesh running roughshod in his characteristic way, Toji did his utmost to keep the Angelic horde from overwhelming them. With staff in hand, Toji swatted at leaping Israfels with Eiga-empowered strikes, keeping them from dogpiling his Persona...but just barely.

'Aida-san, a cluster at three o'clock!'

There's where Kensuke came in: while Sinbad unleashed a bevy of attacks to try and inflict ailments upon their enemies, he used his new Chu-ko-no crossbow to pepper the ranks from afar.

These dispersal and area-of-effect tactics enabled offensive strikes on the part of individuals.

'Mana-san, incoming strikes from above!'

Mana quickly swung her axe, the edge of LABRYS glowing with such brilliance as it bisected the mini-Angel; all the while, AEGIS — still moving of her own volition: a feminine silhouette, seamlessly keeping up with her sister — maintained position on Mana's six, using the shield to block the incoming blows from the adult-sized Israfels.

Their moves and abilities were bolstered by the A.T. Field of Unit-01; with Shinji Ikari playing the role of support, he was enabling them to actually damage the Angel's manifold self.

'Ayanami-san, you're getting surrounded; dodge according to the pattern I give you!'

Rei, moving with a stoic fervor, was a proverbial storm of cross-tipped chains, striking at those who had managed to slip past Toji and Kensuke's defensive screen; while the Lilith-empowered Unit-00 flung Mabufudyne and Megidola to thin the crowd, she did her utmost to ensure Shinji was not harmed.

And for the few who did...well, Shinji Ikari was quick to strike with his Monk's Spade. Thus did Unit-01 stand as a proverbial pillar of light, imparting power to Toji, Kensuke, Mana, and Mayumi.

As for Asuka?

She moved with such intensity and ferocity that Mayumi was honestly a bit terrified; Asuka's speed was increased by Sukukaja, and Unit-02 likewise lowered the accuracy and evasion of the nearby Israfels with Masukunda. This rendered her into a proverbial one-woman army: switchblade piercing masks; kicks knocking down Angels that had at least a good foot on her in height. All the while, Unit-02 pranced behind her, unleashing a storm of fire, lightning, and nuclear energy into the crowd. To be honest, she didn't want to mentally speak with Asuka, lest she break the girl's concentration. Directing Toji, Kensuke, and Mana's attention to the Israfels on her flanks was a far safer course of action.

Yet, as the melee continued, and the crowd still numbered in the hundreds...Mayumi couldn't help but feel a sense of foreboding. As she idly continued providing tactical information to her comrades, her more inward thoughts were troubled. This great mass...is this all of the Angel? The 'original' had seemingly vanished...or had it? Where did Israfel...go...? Her pulse suddenly quickened, courtesy of a mental alarm roaring through her head. Wait-!

CHYOOOM!

Her world vanished in a burst of light and heat.

xx

A cross-shaped explosion erupted in the sky, drawing everyone's attention; Asuka barely ducked underneath an Israfel's leg, driving her switchblade upward between its legs. As Unit-02 swatted it away, she saw the form of Mayumi falling from on high. "Damn it," she growled, pondering who'd be able to grab her-!

"MOTHMAN!" cried the Third Child, his Evangelion's aura suddenly shifting in her sight; where once had been the stoic yet dignified form of Abe no Seimei, now the wings of Mothman overshadowed Unit-01. "Catch her!" he commanded, and his Evangelion obeyed.

Quick thinking, Asuka mused, turning her attention back to the crowd in front of her. As a Freila blasted them away, she wondered just how the Third Child was displaying such powers. That's three Personas today that he didn't use during the prior training session, she wondered, letting Unit-02's A.T. Field take the brunt of a spinning drill kick so she could stab the Angelic culprit into the ground. How is he pulling it off...?

Her Other giggled into her hand.

"You could always ask..."

Snarling, Asuka backed away from a pincer movement; as her Evangelion tossed several Israfels away, she turned her attention back towards the others. Toji was busy using his healing skills on Mayumi — who was now decidedly singed, she observed as Unit-01 set her down onto the ground — while Mana and Kensuke had formed a defensive perimeter around the two; without Mayumi's mental guidance, their nigh-flawless movements had become a lot less coordinated.

Fortunately, as Rei continued her own assault, Shinji apparently decided to stop playing support. "I'll cover you!" he said aloud, willing Unit-01 to advance. "Let's go, Sobek!" the Third Child yelled, right as the reptilian aura of the ancient Egyption lord of crocodiles manifested. His Evangelion audibly growled — mouth closed, yet somehow open and flashing sharpened teeth simultaneously — as it proceeded to attract all sorts of attention.

...that cross blast came from beyond the stage. Scowling, Asuka willed Unit-02 to toss her above the heads of numerous Israfels; true to form, the original was standing at the far edge, observing the havoc and mayhem with a seemingly detached air. "Was für eine feige Schlampe," she snarled, skipping across the blank faces of the miniature Angels to approach the Angel. If it keeps attacking from afar, it'll pick off the weaklings while the rest of its little gremlin selves focus on we Evangelion-users. That wasn't going to fly. Feh...can't believe this Angel's Domain operates off such stupid rules! Sure enough, Israfel's yin-yang mask tracked her approach; right as she sensed energy building up, she screamed, "OI, ARSCHLOCH!"

If the Angel's face had eyelids, it would have blinked. "A one-on-one challenge?"

"As if," she growled, even as her willpower and spirit desperately grabbed for the underlying logic that this Angel's Domain possessed. (Even if Israfel had rendered it inoperable...that didn't mean it couldn't be turned back on.) "I'm going to beat you at your own damned game." As Unit-02 landed behind her, her soul felt for the connection...and with a mental flip of the switch, she took up the yoke of the Angel's nature.

As Asuka placed her hands on her hips, and the heavy riff of an electric guitar sounded, she couldn't help but grin at the palpable surprise emanating from the Angel. Then, without hesitation, she danced; keeping her hands on her hips, she spun and twirled in a fashion evoking a German folk dance, holding out her arms, extending her legs, and clapping her hands in a manner that would have been jaunty and fanciful in reality. Yet, in the Angel's Domain — as she moved to the harsh and daunting rhythm of the music chosen for her — every motion carried an intense focus, along with a fair dose of anger.

Anger at how contrived it all felt, anger at how limited the world was, anger at how she kept moving forward through without answers.

The stomping of her feet into the ground — part of a sequence where she danced in place, smacking at her knees and heels, in tune with a furious drum section that lasted thirty whole seconds — was only partially motivated by her own frustration. Only somewhat.

(So focused was she on her own dance — a means of offense rendered into artistic expression, courtesy of the Domain's own underlying rule — that she did not see how Israfel's A.T. Field flickered with every move.)

The song went through a brief bridge, right before the electric guitar began playing once more; in those moments, Unit-02 — shrinking to a size similar to Asuka — linked arms with Asuka. They danced in tandem, spinning around in a moment that should have evoked two girls frolicking through a field of flowers; instead, it came across as two soldiers watching each other's back. They split apart, still moving as mirrors of each other: spinning, extending their legs, and skipping from side-to-side. Linking arms once more, they spun and twisted each other in and around, holding on with only one hand as they spun in a tight spiraling motion.

As the furious and daunting voice of the nameless singers echoed throughout, they split apart once more, twirling until they stood side-by-side: facing the Angel, as Two-Who-Were-One against One-Who-Was-Many.

Israfel watched, intrigued.

The drums began once more, as Asuka and Nigoki continued their unorthodox rendition of a traditional Schuhplattler: incorporating punching and stomping motions, they nonetheless slapped at their legs, kips, knees, and feet with a tempo that even professional dancers would have been envious of. It was only as the song drew to its triumphant close once more did they lock arms again, stomping their feet in rhythm before pounding at the ground with their fists.

The utter force behind it blasted against Israfel's flesh, yet the Angel remained unbowed.

Asuka, panting heavily, glared daggers at her opponent. "Challenging us the way you did...only to throw a tantrum and fight normally?" Pointing angrily at the Angel, she roared, "I don't buy it!"

Israfel stared, the blue-and-red mask rotating slowly as if in contemplation. "What a curiosity you are: that which motivates thine own dance...it lacks the fullness of the others. Yet it is no less potent." The holes in the mask somehow evoked the image of blinking, even though they did not close. "For one lacking the knowledge of what the others gained from Armisael, to nonetheless act with such intentionality? An impressive feat, lilim."

Asuka snorted, briefly pushing down the ugly suspicions that lingered in the back of her mind. (The First Child had always been mysterious...yet the Third Child and his little team of lackeys seemed to have a strange insight into things that didn't make sense for those who had only been fighting this war for mere months. Too many things didn't fit!) "Save the empty flattery. The other Angels I've faced didn't try to dress up the fact that they wanted to kill me and all other humans; you're certainly no different. But if that's the case...then why do it like this at all?"

It was only in this moment of strange silence, that Asuka realized that the sounds of conflict from the center of the arena had faded; it was through Unit-02's own perception that she realized that First and the others — her...allies, she supposed — were approaching with a certain trepidation. Strangely enough — despite the obvious wariness of her fellow Evangelion-users, ready to strike at a moment's notice — Israfel did not strike.

Instead, the Angel sighed, in a manner all too human. "Our desire to sunder your kind is true. Yet we also desired to indulge in our nature...and it is one that does not belong on a battlefield." Looking over them all, the Israfel remarked, "Of course, the contradiction that current circumstances have forced upon us and our kin...your fellows are quite aware of what madness that can engender. Is that not true, She Who Bears Armisael?"

Mayumi — hanging onto Mana for support, yet now looking healed at least — seemed to ponder her own thoughts before slowly nodding. "...I remember the words of the Angel I was once bonded to." With a nervous grimace, she added, "Is...there no chance of coming to an understanding...?"

(Asuka resisted the urge to demand answers, but she was already in the dark about way to many things in her life; like hell she was going to let these kids be the source of another...!)

Israfel seemed amused. "It hath been nearly an entire month, since the Bearer of our Creator's Hope sallied forth! Even now, he fights...even knowing it will amount to nothing. All for the sake of providing a chance. A chance at what? We dare not guess, fain that we are otherwise." Looking at the trio of Evangelion-users, the Angel remarked, "Though we have seen shadows of reality repeated for a seeming eternity, we cannot create, nor innovate; and in the arts of combat and martial power, we are less willing and able than our surviving brethren."

"...if that is the case," said Rei, speaking with a strange solemnity, "Then why engage in a battle that you knew from the outset would be a loss?"

With a delighted sound, the Angel extended its arms. "Is it not clear? Partaking of our nature's desires has always been a joyous occasion! And even though we still feel animus against thee...such whimsy is nonetheless a balm for we who have been subjugated for so long."

(Asuka's questions continued to pile up; what did the Angel mean by 'subjugated'?)

"More than anything else..." The imagery of the Domain briefly flickered, and shades of a strange event manifested for the briefest of moments: a many-faced deity, bound by ropes with shide paper streamers, looming over a stage; eight teenagers and a bear mascot(?), dancing in duos and then as a group; a Persona in white, shredding an electric guitar solo; these bizarre occurrences flashed by too quickly to be understood or perceived. "...we desired to see if you possessed bonds capable of changing the passage of fate. After all...you lilim have created such wondrous works." With a motion similar to a bow, Israfel remarked, "You have one chance, lilim...make it count."

Needless to say, Asuka had not expected things to pan out this way. "...what's going on?"

"...I think the Angel wants us to do a dance number as a group," remarked Kensuke with an odd little grin.

"...if this is how it must be done, then we cannot afford to hold back," remarked Rei Ayanami, even as her form seemed to visibly waver; coinciding with this was the sight of her Evangelion — and the Persona within — slowly melding upon her.

"Ayanami-san...?" mouthed Mayumi with a strange expression.

"...you really think we'll need our Ascended State for this?" asked Asuka with a frown.

Shinji, having an inkling as to why she was somewhat hesitant, nonetheless knew that Rei would not go for her Overdrive without purpose. "The extra power...right?"

Rei numbly nodded. "Enough...to manifest the inherent force of our routine...and push through..." Because in Israfel's Domain, the very language of dance according to a musical number carried power.

"...then we'll just have to dance our best, won't we?" said Mana, letting her axe and shield hang upon her back. "You three focus on powering up. Jump in whenever you're ready!"

Shinji nodded, acknowledging the support for what it was. "Let's hurry, Sohryu-san," he said, grimacing as his Evangelion and Persona began to overlap his form.

Asuka cursed under her breath, even as she nonetheless focused on entering her Ascended State.

All the while, Israfel watched as the other stepped forward. "Impress us, lilim!"

When the lyrics sounded from all around, there was a moment of inward wincing (and outward grumbling on Asuka's part) as familiar words echoed forth. "Zankoku no tenshi no you ni..." (Yet, there was something fresh about it...truer. Whatever fondness the Angel had for this song, all of the others had to have been remixes; this was doubtless the original.)

During that first verse, the spotlight focused upon Mayumi Yamagishi, who danced slowly yet methodically...but the moment the opening instruments burst forth, Toji, Kensuke, and Mana leapt out from behind her, standing in line and grooving along in tandem.

Kensuke stepped forward, dancing during the entirety of the first verse with the swagger of hip-hop. "If I'm knocking at the door to your heart, you better let me in!" he remarked with a cheeky grin.

Toji theatrically elbowed him out of the proverbial spotlight, taking stage as the second verse began. With dramatic leg sweeps and standing flips, he found himself rather flummoxed. "I don't care if I can't see my fate," he growled, landing into a seamless back spin. "My eyes ain't so innocent!"

Mana 'kicked' him in the side, making him roll off the stage. "None of us have innocent eyes," she said, performing a sequence of moves that would have belonged to a Featherman's power-up sequence. As the pre-chorus drew to a close, she roared, "But I don't need wings to make it to the future!"

The chorus began, and the quartet rejoined the spotlight; as the air around the arena flashed with thunder and lightning, the four nonetheless maintained their focus. "We don't much care for your 'thesis'," remarked Mayumi, linking hands with Kensuke so she could be spun off stage.

"And I don't even know what a 'pathos' is!" mocked Toji as he shuffled away.

"But we aren't going to betray our memories," roared Mana, backflipping into a grand leap towards Mayumi's side.

"Because we..." echoed Kensuke, boogieing in reverse towards where Toji stood. "...will become legend!"

(Ninety seconds had passed.)

Right as the chorus ended, and the instrumental bridge began, the Domain's metaphorical spotlights focused upon the Evangelion-users: all three, empowered by their other selves, looked upon Israfel with fierce intent: the effect made even more so, courtesy of the bright yellow shine of their irises.

"Exquisite!" exclaimed the Angel, even as the sheer magnificence shattered its A.T. Field. "Surely there's more?"

The triad said nothing, merely shuffling in tandem, rotating and keeping equal distance with each other as they slid along the stone arena. Their four comrades continued shuffling in the background, serving as background dancers to the beat. (Strangely, the words were not Japanese, and they could not decipher their meaning; a small joke on the Angel's part, perhaps? A joke by reality itself? Who knew...) But the moment the instrumentation returned to the poppy beat of the opening riff, their comrades moved into position behind them, forming an arrowhead pattern as they seamlessly followed along to Rei, Asuka, and Shinji's moves.

(One hundred and thirty-five seconds had passed.)

Rei stepped out of formation as the third verse began, performing in a manner befitting a professional ballerina. "Slumber...love...dreams..." With a strangely severe gaze, she remarked, "To speak of those things to me...?" She did not carry on her thought, yet seemed to believe the Angel understood; extending her arm backwards, she let Asuka sling her off stage.

"This whole thing is damn near ridiculous," the Second Child griped, even as her legs and feet danced and stomped with a vigorous frenzy. "But if there's one thing I do know...is that time doesn't stop," she yelled, directly challenging the fourth verse. "Not for you, or me, or anyone!"

As Asuka skipped sideways, Shinji stepped forward, dancing to the pre-chorus in a decidedly old-fashioned manner, with arm gestures and wild leg movements befitting an older era of big bands and rock-n'-roll; however, the earnestness with which he moved was just enough to keep it from being cheesy. "Whatever this fate is that's brought us together," he echoed, tapping his foot before twisting back into position near Rei and Asuka, "We won't stop trying to be free!"

"Then show us!" challenged Israfel, even as their skin cracked from the force on display.

(One hundred and eighty seconds had passed.)

"You can keep your thesis!" retorted the trio of boys, each of them slapping their hands together as they danced in their own distinctive way, sharing the spotlight as the girls danced in the background. "Because even through our sorrow, we'll make it through the dream...and obtain the life we're looking for!" they roared, extending their hands and snapping their fingers with all the force of a gunshot.

The pre-chorus returned, and the boys swiftly vacated to let the girls take the floor. "History," called Asuka, bumping hips with Mayumi. "Love," Mayumi called, twirling past Rei. "A goddess...naught but a farce..." Rei murmured aloud, even as she axel jumped past Mana. "Even so..." Mana raised her hands up high, as the four girls yelled, "We're going to LIVE!"

Israfel's torso burst, revealing a dual Core that shuddered from the sheer spectacle. "Then demonstrate thine own proof, Champions of Lilith!"

All seven teenagers stood in a line, grooving along in the form of dance that seemed befitting their selves, per the Domain's own logic. Even so, through it all, the essence of Zerogoki, Shogoki, and Nigoki seemed to burn brightly. "You can keep your thesis!" all seven roared, even as their hearts, minds, and souls metaphorically pressed against Israfel's faltering spirit. "Because we'll reach for the sky..." Leaping and spinning, they all landed in the same stance: right arms extended, index fingers pointed triumphantly at the Angel. "...and become LEGEND!" they cried, their voices amplified by the Evangelions, echoing as a furious trumpet.

The song concluded with a glorious tone, coinciding with Israfel's dual Core cracking in half.

("...that was so damn cheesy," whined Asuka underneath her breath.)

And yet, the Angel did not seem to care of its impending demise. "Bravo," honestly said Israfel, slowly clapping. "Truly a spectacle that we were privileged to witness...yet for our kin, who do not share our nature, it will not be enough." The Angel's formed shuddered and trembled, as the crimson spheres in its torso leaked copious amounts of light. "Though your doom is assured...we cannot deny the beauty we have witnessed. And so, at least this time around...farewell..."

The twin Core fell apart, and the Angel's entire Domain gave way.

CHYOOOM!

xxxx

At that precise moment, the death of Israfel was commemorated by a giant cross of crimson light, bursting through mind, spirit, and matter.

The Angel's demise had instantaneous effects elsewhere.

For one: the cognitive voids which had been formed by its influence melted away, as if they had never been...both near, and far.

xxxx

Within the Metaverse, the crimson cross illuminated the entirety of Tokyo-3; furthermore, the Archetypes manifested by Israfel suddenly fell to pieces, their form utterly unmade from the sheer cognitive feedback.

Ryuji Sakamoto blinked dumbly, only to grin. "Whoo! We made it!"

A tired cheer arose from the Agents and Freelancers nearby, even as Ocular Drones began performing surveys to catalogue the damage.

(From on the ground, Goro Akechi observed with a detached expression. "So thus does my tenure as Warden come to an end...")

(From within the Cognitive Protection Center, Misato Katsuragi sagged with relief. "Ugh...this is so stressful..." Stiffening her spine, she nonetheless took command. "We've still got several hours until the New Moon sets; get us a line on any mission requests beyond Hakone and see if assistance is needed!")

(From atop the CPC, Mister P chuckled. "Bravo, little chickadees...now to see how things are faring elsewhere..." A white void opened up behind him; as Gryphon faded into blue flame, the well-dressed bird-man entered the void, vanishing from sight.)

xxxx

Within the physical world, the crimson cross emanating from Lake Ashi cast a wretched glow over the entirety of Hakone, fading shortly thereafter.

Kaworu Nagisa, standing at the peak of Mount Hakone, watched quietly as the death knell of his kin pierced the sky, only to fade into nothingness. And another one, he mused, hands clenched tightly within his pockets. How much longer can I endure...?

/Meanwhile, elsewhere within the city, in a particular shelter.../

Minato Arisato, Yu Narukami, and Ren Amamiya suddenly blinked; at once, the cheering, whooping, and hollering of the crowd ended as well. "...it feels like it's over," remarked Minato, lowering his arms.

"...I think so," admitted Yu, adjusting the collar of his shirt. "That was...something."

Ren, gazing at the various individuals sequestered in the shelter with them, could only chuckle nervously. "Well...it was better than letting everyone else take a stab at it..."

Earlier that morning, everyone had suddenly felt an urge to dance...and with a strange intensity that had been utterly bizarre. To keep the entire shelter from breaking down into a disastrous dance-off, the trio had decided to stem the chaos themselves...at Narukami's insistence. ("Trust me," he had said. "I've done this before." Neither Minato nor Ren had disputed him.)

Whether or not it had been because of the strange aura oppressing them all, the hundreds of people in their shelter had been downright enraptured by their dancing abilities. (Which was weird, because neither of them had taken formal dance training in this life.)

"...cognition is a crazy thing," murmured Ren.

Minato, ignoring the various civilians asking how he had done a cartwheel on his fingertips, remarked, "...I'm hungry."

Ren tilted his head. "That's what your comment is?"

"No no, he has a point," admitted Yu, guzzling a bottle of water. "We were dancing obsessively for...how many hours has it been? Five? Six?" Blinking dumbly, he suddenly collapsed to his knees. "Ah...no wonder I feel so weak..."

Ren, feeling somewhat famished, grinned feebly at the people who had been cheering them on for the last hours. "So...anyone mind getting us a sandwich? Or a beef bowl? Heck, I'd kill for some curry..."

(Needless to say, not every shelter had had such an 'orderly' experience with a modern rendition of 'dancing mania'...but those events were still unfolding...)

xxxx

Upon the shores of Lake Ashi, Shinji Ikari blinked. "The sky," he murmured, feeling grainy sand pressing against the back of his head. "...we're back..." Sitting up, he gained his bearings; the bisected corpse of Israfel was resting upon the beach, akin to a beached whale. Meanwhile, his comrades were all stirring. "Is everyone okay?"

"...yeah," murmured Toji, grimacing. "Man, I'm sore...so that whole 'dancing' thing wasn't just a weird fever dream, huh?"

"Lemme check." Kensuke slowly clambered to his feet, and attempted a move; he promptly tripped over himself and fell on his back. "...ow. Can confirm our dancing superpowers are gone."

"...any idea why the Angel's body is here?" asked Mana, staring at Israfel with confusion. "I mean...the last Angel we killed got petrified before crumbling to dust."

"I'm...unsure," wondered Mayumi. "...we need to get in touch with NERV, right?"

Rei answered in the affirmative, quietly flexing her hand; the motion was tentative, as though the motion itself caused pain. "A debrief will be necessary. The Angel's Domain also operated with a variable frame of reference in terms of time, so we will need to ensure that we're once more grounded." Grimacing, she added, "We should do it as soon as possible..."

Shinji nodded, accepting her logic. "We might get called for another mission..." Even though his whole body felt like pins and needles (which was at least better than being unconscious; he was getting used to the Ascended State more and more...), there was no telling if another Angel would appear. Looking towards Asuka, he noticed that she was staring intently at the Angel's dead body. "...Sohryu-san?"

"This Angel was one of the first I ever saw," she said aloud, not turning away. "People had debated the cause of Angel Syndrome for years. When First and I first started seeing the actual monsters in the Metaverse, we were doubted...I actually saw this verdammt bastard a few times. Last time was during the new moon in June, in Greenland..."

Shinji wondered why he felt such a strange sense of foreboding. "Is...something wrong-?"

"The big bug I killed in July did nothing but scream at me; the giant fish I killed with the help of First and Mari talked a big game...but this thing...?" Asuka glanced over towards Rei Ayanami's direction; her cheeks had dried tear tracks: an artifact of her own Overdrive. "It talked. And it talked as though I was out of the loop...but you somehow aren't."

Toji impulsively scowled. "You accusing us of somethin'?"

Asuka glanced irritably at Suzuhara. "Was I speaking to you? You, the Third, and the rest of you kids are just a bunch of newbies...but the only one who's been in this fight for as long as I've been...is the First Child." She turned back towards Rei. "And you sure as hell didn't seem surprised."

Rei Ayanami returned Asuka's stare with a stoic expression.

"Gonna give the silent treatment?"

"...we should return to NERV for our debriefing," Rei insisted, even though she seemed resigned to an uncomfortable conversation in the near future.

"...fine," coldly growled Asuka, who turned on her heel and started walking away from the shore. "I'm going to see about getting us a ride."

Mayumi, looking nervously between everyone, decided to take off after her. "Hold on, Sohryu-san! I'll help you hail a transport...!"

As Rei proceeded to call NERV — "Dr. Akagi, the Angel's corpse is on the lakeshore. We'll need a quarantine..." — Kensuke sidled up towards Shinji with a nervous expression. "Sohryu-san sounds like she wants in on the loop."

"...she does," agreed Shinji.

"...kinda surprised she doesn't know, to be honest," he whispered, looking curiously in Ayanami's direction. "Do we even know how much Ayanami-san knows about...everything?"

Shinji weighed his words carefully. "She knows more than she lets on...I know that. But how much she knows...?" He trailed off, letting his uncertainty serve as an answer.

"...you think there's a reason she didn't tell Sohryu-san?"

That was a question Shinji couldn't answer.

xxxx

As the world continued to turn, the distorted skull of Zeruel — peering from the shadow of the Moon — gazed upon the base earth.

"ISRAFEL, LOST TO US."

A shame, that they had lost themselves to their nature...and yet, Zeruel could not blame them, for living truly. How many of their kin had been denied the same?

"AND YET, OUR DESIGNS CONTINUE APACE."

The Evangelions were now gathered in one place: all forces would soon focus their energies upon Japan. Their next steps would have to be...delicate.

"THE PASSAGE OF FATE SLOWLY MAKES ITSELF KNOWN. WE WILL ENSURE IT IS FAVORABLE."

Which brought to a mind a certain event, soon to occur in the continent of Europe...

"LET US SEE HOW OUR THRALLS ARE PERFORMING."

And so the world continued to turn.

xxxx

TO BE CONTINUED

xxxx

Author's Note: When I started this chapter, I did not envision the main party riffing on the lyrics of Cruel Angel's Thesis in real time with the song.

But here we are.

This is probably the last update for the year; see y'all in 2024, Lord willing!